Historic Preservation

Lending Library

The Historic Preservation Commission has curated a lending library with the purpose of providing resources to property owners with heritage listings, future applicants, and the general public interested in historic preservation. Click on each book title for a description of the book content. You may check out books in two-week intervals for your personal use with no fee. Contact historicpreservation@clark.wa.gov to borrow a book.

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The fully expanded, updated, and freshly designed second edition of the most comprehensive and widely acclaimed guide to domestic architecture: in print since its original publication in 1984, and acknowledged everywhere as the unmatched, essential guide to American houses.

This revised edition includes a section on neighborhoods; expanded and completely new categories of house styles with photos and descriptions of each; an appendix on "Approaches to Construction in the 20th and 21st Centuries"; an expanded bibliography; and 600 new photographs and line drawings.

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Surveying the past, present, and future of historic preservation in America, this book features fifteen essays by some of the most important voices in the field. A Richer Heritage will be an essential, thought-provoking guide for professionals as well as administrators, volunteers, and policy makers involved in preservation efforts.

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American Homes is the classic work of American house architecture. From the Dutch colonial, to the New England Salt Box, to the 1950s prefab, this unrivaled reference and useful guide to 103 building styles pays homage to our country's housing heritage.

American Homes opens the window onto the rich landscape of all the places we call home. Award-winning architect Lester Walker examines hundreds of styles of homes -- more than any other survey of American domestic architecture -- and helps us understand the history of each style, why it developed as it did, and the practical and historical reasons behind its shape, size, material, ornament, and plan. Hundreds of sequenced drawings illustrate the evolution of our most beloved housing styles, like the colonial English Cottage, which grows before our eyes from a simple square of posts and beams to a fully constructed home with hand-split cedar clapboards and an intricately thatched roof. There's also the Italianate, whose roof displays its intricate carved brackets and is topped with a cupola that serves to filter light to the interior of the home. Annotated floor plans offer insight into the structure of these homes, and with it, a good measure of inspiration. No wrought-iron railing, white stucco wall, or gingerbread gable goes neglected. Every idiosyncratic detail and decoration of each of these uniquely American designs is delicately drawn.

American Homes is the perfect reference for enthusiasts of architecture, history, and American studies. It is also the ideal inspiration for anyone who lives in or dreams of living in a classic American home.

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Building pathology provides an interdisciplinary approach to the study of defects and performance in order to develop appropriate remedial and management solutions. It considers how the structure and materials of a building relate to its environment, its occupants and the way the building is used, so as to develop a better understanding of building failures.

This book provides a well illustrated introduction to the discipline of building pathology, bridging the gap between current approaches to the surveying of buildings and the detailed study of defect diagnosis, prognosis and remediation. It features a number of case studies and a detailed set of references and further reading.

This second edition has been updated to reflect changes in legislation, guidance and construction, and provides new case studies that demonstrate the breadth and depth of the subject.

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Buildings, Landscapes, and Memory: Case Studies in Historic Preservation explores historically and critically the historic preservation movement in the United States. Analyzing ten extraordinary places, this provocative analysis of historic preservation’s past and future will transform contemporary understanding of the movement, examining assumptions about why history, heritage, and place should matter. It ranges broadly from a discussion of the commemoration of place in the Marquis de Lafayette’s triumphal tour of the United States in 1824–25 to speculation about the cultural and political import of interpreting history on EPA Superfund toxic waste sites. 

Thinking critically about preservation requires also thinking critically about its opposite: destruction. The book treats the movement to conserve the Hudson River Palisades from destruction at the hands of trap rock quarrymen as well as the effort to save Dutch-American homesteads that stood in the path of development in Brooklyn. It explores the intersection between race, culture, and preservation in the 1940s effort of African Americans to preserve the Mecca Flats in Chicago, an apartment building that was the subject of popular blues music and that was threatened by Mies van der Rohe’s designs for the Illinois Institute of Technology. 

Focusing on the relationship among tradition, preservation, and modern design, Buildings, Landscapes, and Memory explores the making of Eero Saarinen’s Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Arch on the historic Mississippi riverfront in St. Louis as well as the tension between tradition and modern design at Thomas Jefferson’s University of Virginia, declared a World Heritage site in 1987. Engaging early efforts to build an economy on preservation and heritage tourism, the book also looks at the creation of Virginia’s historic highway marker program in the 1920s.

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Since its publication in 1982 Sir Bernard Feilden's Conservation of Historic Buildings has become the standard text for architects and others involved in the conservation of historic structures. Leading practitioners around the world have praised the book as being the most significant single volume on the subject to be published. This third edition revises and updates a classic book, including completely new sections on conservation of Modern Movement buildings and non-destructive investigation.

The result of the lifetime's experience of one of the world's leading architectural conservators, the book comprehensively surveys the fundamental principles of conservation in their application to historic buildings, and provides the basic information needed by architects, engineers and surveyors for the solution of problems of architectural conservation in almost every climatic region of the world. This edition is organized into three complementary parts: in the first the structure of buildings is dealt with in detail; the second focuses attention on the causes of decay and the materials they affect; and the third considers the practical role of the architect involved in conservation and rehabilitation. As well as being essential reading for architects and others concerned with conservation, many lay people with various kinds of responsibility for historic buildings will find this clearly written, jargon-free work a fruitful source of guidance and information.


* Gain a valuable insight into the building conservation world
* Benefit from the world's leading authority
* Easy to understand, jargon-free source of guidance and information

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In 1966, American historic preservation was transformed by the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act, which created a National Register of Historic Places. Now comprising more than 1.4 million historic properties across the country, the National Register is the official federal list of places in the United States thought to be worthy of preservation.

One of the fundamental principles of the National Register is that every property is evaluated according to a standard set of criteria that provide the framework for understanding why a property is significant in American history. The origins of these criteria are important because they provide the threshold for consideration by a broad range of federal preservation programs, from planning for continued adaptive use, to eligibility for grants, and inclusion in heritage tourism and educational programs.

Crafting Preservation Criteria sets out these preservation criteria for students, explaining how they got added to the equation, and elucidating the test cases that allowed for their use. From artworks to churches, from 'the fifty year rule' to 'the historic scene', students will learn how places have been historically evaluated to be placed on the National Register, and how the criteria evolved over time.
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In this fourth edition of the CRM classic, Thomas F. King shares his expertise in dealing with laws regulating the use of cultural resources. With wry insight, he explains the various federal, state, and local laws governing the protection of resources, how they have been interpreted, how they operate in practice, and even how they are sometimes in contradiction with each other. He provides helpful advice on how to ensure regulatory compliance in dealing with archaeological sites, historic buildings, urban districts, sacred sites and objects, shipwrecks, and archives. King also offers careful guidance through the confusing array of federal, state, and tribal offices concerned with CRM. Featuring updated analysis and treatments of key topics, this new edition is a must-have for archaeologists and students, historic preservationists, tribal governments, and others working with cultural resources.

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Every home has a story to tell! Whether you own an elaborate Victorian, cozy bungalow or cottage, ranch style, or are part of a newer subdivision, your house and property have a unique history that is just waiting to be uncovered.

Part treasure hunt and part jigsaw puzzle, researching the history of your house is a fascinating and rewarding experience. In Discovering the History of Your House and Your Neighborhood, author Betsy J. Green will show you how easy it is to create a cherished legacy for future generations to enjoy. You'll learn about:

  • Beginning your search
  • Finding and contacting former owners of your house
  • Discovering the architect who designed your house
  • Finding the original plans for your house
  • Re-creating long-lost woodwork, porches, even historic landscaping
  • Locating building permits for your house
  • Finding the original price of your house
  • Researching subdivisions and neighborhoods
  • Finding deeds for your house and land
  • Getting information from a deed
  • Finding old photos of your house and neighborhood
  • Using old maps to learn about your neighborhood
  • Discovering your house on a postcard
  • Using vintage architectural magazines
  • Writing your house history
  • Includes a state-by-state guide to resources
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Comprehensive, in-depth coverage from leading experts in the field

A historic building is a fragile resource that requires the finest care. Maintenance and rehabilitation of walls and facades call fora thorough understanding of the forces that cause deterioration, knowledge of the properties of building materials, up-to-date inspection tools and methods, and a solid command of renovation and repair techniques. In this complete reference manual, recognized experts provide state-of-the-art information and methodologies for the inspection, maintenance, and restoration of historic buildings of virtually every period, style, and material.

Each chapter opens with a general discussion of the facade material and the ways in which structural and decorative elements are vulnerable to an array of environmental forces. After a detailed investigation of tools and techniques for inspection, the text explores planning issues for the restoration or replacement of facade components. Special features include:
  • Separate chapters on each major type of building material--stonemasonry, brick masonry, terra-cotta masonry, cast stone, mortar, concrete, cast iron, sheet metal, and wood
  • An entire chapter on caulks and sealants
  • 35 original line drawings and 43 black and white photos that help visualize technical information
  • Selected success stories from preservation projects across the United States

For architects, building contractors, and owners of historic buildings, Historic Building Facades clarifies procedures, helps identify sources of deterioration, and offers solutions to even the most difficult maintenance and rehabilitation problems. It is also an excellent reference for building preservationists, architectural historians, and students of building design and preservation.
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Historic Preservation for Designers offers a comprehensive overview of historic preservation with a focus on historic interiors, historic building materials, and the adaptive reuse of interiors. This text includes a brief history of preservation in the United States, criteria to determine whether a building is historic, a discussion of preservation law, and how to document historic buildings with a focus on design and understanding functional and aesthetic requirements.

The text explores issues including building restoration and rehabilitation standards, adaptive reuse principles, and codes and accessibility requirements. Designers will discover timely information on inspecting historic buildings to determine their age and condition as well as the growing relationship between historic preservation, green design, and the environment.

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Historic Preservation Law in a Nutshell provides the leading in-depth summary of historic preservation law within its local, state, tribal, federal, and international contexts. Historic preservation is a burgeoning area of law that includes aspects of property, land use, environmental, constitutional, cultural resources, international, and Native American law. This book covers the primary federal statutes, and many facets of state statutes, dealing with the protection and preservation of historic resources. It also includes key topics like the designation process, federal agency obligations, local regulation, takings and other constitutional concerns, and real estate development issues.

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This introduction to historic preservation goes well beyond the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and shows how wood, stone, masonry, and metal were used in the past and how adaptive re-use can be employed to bring modern amenities to historic structures. The book covers all aspects of the exterior and interior building fabric, including windows, roofing, doors, porches, and electrical and mechanical systems for both residential and small-scale commercial buildings. Richly illustrated with photographs showing typical elements of historic buildings, decay mechanisms, and remediation techniques, the book also contains a variety of useful case studies and features a companion Website that offers dozens of additional images and resources.

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Historic preservation, which started as a grassroots movement, now represents the cutting edge in a cultural revolution focused on “green” architecture and sustainability.

This is the only book to cover the gamut of preservation issues in layman’s language: the philosophy and history of the movement, the role of government, the documentation and designation of historic properties, sensitive architectural designs and planning, preservation technology, and heritage tourism, plus a survey of architectural styles. It is an ideal introduction to the field for students, historians, preservationists, property owners, local officials, and community leaders. Updated throughout, this revised edition addresses new subjects, including heritage tourism and partnering with the environmental community. 91 line drawings; 69 black-and-white photographs

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Winner of the Association for Preservation Technology (APT) 2012 Lee Nelson Book Award, this book is an updated edition of the classic text detailing the ins and outs of old building construction.

A comprehensive guide to the physical construction of buildings from the 1840s to the present, this study covers the history of concrete- , steel- , and skeleton-frame buildings, provides case histories that apply the information to a wide range of actual projects, and supplies technical data essential to professionals who work with historic structures. 157 photos and drawings

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This volume in the Nearby History series helps the reader document the history of a home. The reader will learn to examine written records, oral testimonies, visual sources, and the house's surroundings. The author covers American housing patterns, the individual characteristics of houses in different regions, contruction techniques and materials, household technology, and family life styles.

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The historic preservation movement has had a huge influence on America's built landscape for the past thirty years. Discover the cornerstone primer on the topic -- Keeping Time. This edition features a wealth of new material, including new chapters on preservation values in oral-based cultures, international preservation, and future developments in the field. In addition, you'll find a clear, concise survey of preservation movement's history, complete with:

  • Helpful coverage of the theory and practice driving the movement.
  • Expanded material on landscape preservation.
  • New information on scientific conservation, cultural corridors, and historic tourism.
  • Numerous informative photographs illustrating the book's content.
  • Order your copy of this fundamental volume for tomorrow's historic preservationists today.
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In Place, Race, and Story, author Ned Kaufman has collected his own essays dedicated to the proposition of giving the next generation of preservationists not only a foundational knowledge of the field of study, but more ideas on where they can take it. Through both big-picture essays considering preservation across time, and descriptions of work on specific sites, the essays in this collection trace the themes of place, race, and story in ways that raise questions, stimulate discussion, and offer a different perspective on these common ideas.

Including unpublished essays as well as established works by the author, Place, Race, and Story provides a new outline for a progressive preservation movement – the revitalized movement for social progress.

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You’ve established a historic district in your town! Now what? Preservation Politics picks up where The Politics of Historic Districts leaves off, advising the established HPC on how to maintain momentum in their communities once the initial political campaign to win historic preservation designation has faded and the real work of enforcement begins.

Schmickle goes beyond “best practices” to get to the political root of our district problems: a collective preference for putting preservation interests ahead of citizens and the larger public good. He argues that public service is the key to the long-term vitality of historic districts. Along the way, he takes on everyone who threatens district operations, from those who shirk responsibility and shred historic resources to those preservationists whose radicalism undermines public support. With wit and wisdom, this book shows that there may be no such thing as happily ever after, but historic preservation is worth the fight!

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This new edition of the definitive guide to recording America's built environment provides a detailed reference to the re-cording methods and techniques that are fundamental tools for examining any existing structure. Edited by the Deputy Chief of the Historic American Building Survey/Historic American Engineering Record, this revised edition includes in-formation on recent technological advances such as laser scanning, new case studies, and expanded material on the docu-mentation of historic landscapes.

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Although there are other books about renovating old houses, this is the first that prioritizes the identification and preservation of the historic, character-defining features of a house as a starting point in the process. That is the purpose of this book: to describe and illustrate a best-practices approach for updating historic homes for modern life in ways that do not attempt to turn an old house into a new one. The book also suggests many ways to save money in the process, without settling for cheap or inappropriate solutions. Scott Hanson is a historic-building preservation professional and has 40 years' experience rehabilitating historic houses. He has illustrated this authoritative book with hundreds of step-by-step photos, illustrations, charts, and decision-making guides. Interspersed throughout are photo essays of 13 restored historic houses representing a range of periods and architectural styles: Italianate, Victorian, Queen Anne, Federal, Colonial, Colonial Revival, Greek Revival, Ranch, Adobe, Craftsman, Shingle, and Rustic. With interior and exterior photography by David Clough, these multi-page features show what can be achieved when a historic home is renovated with a desire to preserve or restore as much historic character as possible.

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They’re going to tear down the most cherished building in your town for another strip mall. How do you stop it? Tom King, renowned expert on the heritage preservation process, explains to preservationists and other community activists the ins and outs of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act―the major federal law designed to protect historic places―and how it can be used to protect special places in your community. King will show you the scope of the law, how it is often misinterpreted or ignored by government agencies and developers, and how to use its provisions to force other to pay attention to your concerns. He explains the quirky role of the National Register and the importance of consultation in getting what you want. King provides you with numerous examples of how communities have used the Section 106 process to stop wanton development, and encourages you to do the same. King’s guide will be the bible for any heritage preservation or community activist movement.

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Structural Analysis of Historic Buildings offers the most' complete, detailed, and authentic data available on the materials, calculation methods, and design techniques used by architects and engineers of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It provides today's building professionals with information needed to analyze, modify, and certify historic buildings for modern use. Among the many important features of this book not available in any other single volume are:

  • More than 350 line drawings and diagrams taken directly from original sources such as the Carnegie Steele Company's Pocket Companion (1893) and Frank Kidder's The Architect's and Builder's Pocketbook (1902)
  • Hard-to-find data on period structural components, such as cast-iron columns and beams, wrought-iron columns and beams, and fireproof terra cotta floor arches
  • Methods for determining what kind of loads structural components were originally designed to bear and methods to determine if they are still capable of performing as intended
  • Extensive coverage of historical foundation systems and empirical design methods for load-bearing masonry buildings

For any building professional involved in the rapidly growing field of restoring, preserving, and adapting historic buildings, Structural Analysis of Historic Buildings is an invaluable structural handbook.

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Old houses are charming, but owning one can be a labor of love. Expert carpenter and house "doctor" Christopher Evers equates old homes with ailing patients, describing how you can successfully "treat" your old house and make it good as new. With over 300 clear, line illustrations, Evers provides a practical guide to repairing, renovating, and preserving your old house--basement to attic--so you can enjoy it for years to come. Evers gives detailed instructions on the "anatomy" of old homes as well as how to fix a variety of problems, including:

  • Repairing old plumbing fixtures
  • Replacing shingles on the roof
  • Straightening the house’s frame
  • Rewiring old electrical systems
  • Removing old wallpaper
  • Protecting against termites and other harmful pests
  • Adding insulation for better energy efficiency
  • Fixing old eaves
  • Reinstalling windows and doors
  • And more!

A classic in old-home repair, The Old-House Doctor is an invaluable, and timeless, guide for keeping your old home in tip-top shape, while meeting your modern needs.

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At its most basic, historic preservation is about keeping old places alive, in active use, and relevant to the needs of communities today. As cities across America experience a remarkable renaissance, and more and more young, diverse families choose to live, work, and play in historic neighborhoods, the promise and potential of using our older and historic buildings to revitalize our cities is stronger than ever.
 
This urban resurgence is a national phenomenon, boosting cities from Cleveland to Buffalo and Portland to Pittsburgh. Experts offer a range of theories on what is driving the return to the city—from the impact of the recent housing crisis to a desire to be socially engaged, live near work, and reduce automobile use. But there’s also more to it. Time and again, when asked why they moved to the city, people talk about the desire to live somewhere distinctive, to be some place rather than no place. Often these distinguishing urban landmarks are exciting neighborhoods—Miami boasts its Art Deco district, New Orleans the French Quarter. Sometimes, as in the case of Baltimore’s historic rowhouses, the most distinguishing feature is the urban fabric itself.

While many aspects of this urban resurgence are a cause for celebration, the changes have also brought to the forefront issues of access, affordable housing, inequality, sustainability, and how we should commemorate difficult history. This book speaks directly to all of these issues.
 
In The Past and Future City, Stephanie Meeks, the president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, describes in detail, and with unique empirical research, the many ways that saving and restoring historic fabric can help a city create thriving neighborhoods, good jobs, and a vibrant economy. She explains the critical importance of preservation for all our communities, the ways the historic preservation field has evolved to embrace the challenges of the twenty-first century, and the innovative work being done in the preservation space now.
 
This book is for anyone who cares about cities, places, and saving America’s diverse stories, in a way that will bring us together and help us better understand our past, present, and future. 

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The worst thing in politics is to be right and to lose. This how-to guide will give citizens who are fighting to designate a local historic district the political know-how to win the support of fellow residents and city hall. Everything is here: learning to think politically, mastering the political process; planning and strategy; campaign organizing and leadership; framing a practical vision; anticipating and handling the opposition; conducting community meetings; skirmishing with property rightists; managing issues, petitions, and public opinion; dealing with public officials; strategizing for public hearings; and winning the vote for district designation.

The Politics of Historic Districts is an indispensable resource whose practical, hands-on lessons are informed by extensive research and the author's own experiences in winning a district designation, chairing a historic preservation commission, and teaching political science. By showing how and why communities make political decisions to designate historic districts, Bill Schmickle encourages preservationists to ignore the traditional tensions between preservation and political action and points the way to a fuller understanding of the politics that shape local historic districts.

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The Interior Dept. is responsible for establishing professional standards & providing advice on the preservation & protection of all cultural resources listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. These Standards are intended to be applied to a wide variety of resource types, including buildings, sites, structures, objects, & districts. The Standards are neither technical nor prescriptive, but are intended to promote responsible preservation practices. Covers: exterior building materials & features; interior building systems, spaces, & finishes; building sites; settings. Photos.

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Jeff Speck has dedicated his career to determining what makes cities thrive. And he has boiled it down to one key factor: walkability. Making downtown into a walkable, viable community is the essential fix for the typical American city; it is eminently achievable and its benefits are manifold. Walkable City―bursting with sharp observations and key insights into how urban change happens―lays out a practical, necessary, and inspiring vision for how to make American cities great again.

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Why Old Places Matter is the only book that explores the reasons that old places matter to people. Although people often feel very deeply about the old places of their lives, they don’t have the words to express why. This book brings these ideas together in evocative language and with illustrative images for a broad audience.

The book reveals the fundamentally important yet under-recognized role old places play in our lives. While many people feel a deep-seated connection to old places -- from those who love old houses, to the millions of tourists who are drawn to historic cities, to the pilgrims who flock to ancient sites throughout the world -- few can articulate why. The book explores these deep attachments people have with old places –the feelings of belonging, continuity, stability, identity and memory, as well as the more traditional reasons that old places have been deemed by society to be important, such as history, national identity, and architecture.

This book will be appealing to anyone who has ever loved an old place. But more importantly, it will be an useful resource to articulate why old places are meaningful to people and their communities. This book will help people understand that the feeling many have for old places is supported by a wide variety of fields, and that the continued existence of these old places is good. It will give people the words and phrases to understand and express why old places matter.